New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 



259 



In this test the three-stem plants were in four grouj^s, two on 

 the north bench and two on the south bench, alternating with 

 corresponding groups of single-stem plants. This arrangement 

 secured more uniform conditions than could be secured by the 

 plan adopted for the first test. The results here set forth are 

 therefore considered more satisfactory and more reliable than 

 those which appeared with the first test. They do not conflict 

 with the conclusions drawn from the first test but rather empha- 

 size them. The single-stem training, other things being equal, 

 gives decidedly better results than the three-stem training both 

 in yield and in average size of fruit produced. Although the first 

 fruits ripened on the average a day earlier on the three-stem 

 plants than on the single-stem plants, yet in the amount of fruit 

 ripened early the single-stem plants again take the lead as is 

 shown in the following statement of the yield by weeks for the 

 first six weeks after the first fruit was picked: 



Table VI. — Plants xot ix Pots. — Yield for six Weeks After First Fruit 



KlPENED. 



♦This area is taken as a basis for making this table, so that this may be compared 

 with Table VIII, page 262. 



This table shows clearly the superiority of single-stem train- 

 ing in producing fruit early, while Table V shows its superiority 

 in total yield for the season. It will be noticed that the yield 

 drops at the fourth week and then gradually increases. The 

 falling off in yield which begins at the fourth week is due to the 

 difficulty experienced in getting fruit to set during the latter part 

 of December and early in January. As the days get longer and 

 the amount of light increases the fruit sets more readily. When 

 there is an abundance of sunshine, simply jarring the blossoms 

 as may be done by rapping the plants with a padded stick, will 



